Keyholder



Sept. 28, 1943.

B. s. BER-GER 2,330,546

KEY HOLDER Filed Dec. 12, 1940 Patented Sept. 28, 1943 Benjamin :8. Berger, Hewlett; N. Y., assignor to :Philip Florin, Inc., New

tionofiNewYYork 7 Application I lw e s- This invention relatesto keyholders.

December 12, 1 940,:seei e1 masseuse I It is particularly directed tothe typeof key case within which a'key' sup'port-ingplate isattached and which, remoyably "carries the Tkeyretaining elements.

One object of my inventionis-to provide akey holder of very simple and-inexpensiveconstruction, wherein a key-retainin'gelement may-be very easily-inserted in orremoved from the key supporting plate, and yet each retaining element and key thereon be securel heldagainst' possi-- ble accidental loss and easily manipulatedin use.

Another object of my invention is to provide a key holder wherein the-insertion or-removaloi the: individual retaining elements may be accomplishedv simply in flexing the key plate.

A still-further object of my inVentio-n-is-to provides .fkey holder of the character described whichis strong and'durable and'whi'ch shallloe highlyefiicient-for the purposeset-forth.

Other. objects of this invention will in-part be obvious; and in part hereinafter pcintedout.

The invention accordingly consists in-the-features of construction, combinations o'f elements, and arrangement of parts which willbeexemplifled in the construction"hereinafter describedand of which the scope of application will be'i-n'dicated in the claims.

"In the accompanying drawing, in-which are shown several of "the various possible 'emlcodi f ments of this invention, and inwhich'like =num hers refer .to like parts,

Fig. l is a fragmentary-plan view of *akey holder constructed in accordance with 'my -invention, shown in open position; 1

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

upanelszl-zlaarid l:2 integrally joined by a fold sec- :tionil'3. :Aupai'r of cooperating slider stringers M .and d may the .istitched around the :marginal edges :of @said :panels "to provides-suitable closure means: i :Fixedly attachedi-toiathe upperzportion of one of :thepanels-i H in any suitable :manner, as by eye- --le.ts tB,-.-is a .skeyplate "I 'l constructed 'in accordance withzmy invention. 1 Said zkey plate is fabri vmated from :-a resilient, :fiexlblezmaterial, .:such as for examplei'springsteel orpphenolt condensate or other; compositionumaterialgendicompris es a fiat body portion (18 having i'onnedialong its upper -edgeeaetubular beadrlzg which iscutaway at regu- ,-1ar=,interva1s :to form a series of slots Zllhaving pspaced parallel walls 2 I ;It will"be seen that when ithe" key plate 11 is -fiexedg-the Wa11s 0f the slots 220 wilt assume an .angular idivergent position with respect to each 0 .other, =as-clearly shoWn-inFig. 4. Also, .due to vthe{resistanceof the bead lB't-obending along its .--longitudmal axis, the curvatureof the plate i8 adjacentgtheibead will be greatest at the portions .adioining theslots 29, so that vbut ae relatively 5 -slight degreeof fle ctionof'the body N3 of the key Fig. 3 is a top View of thekey plate sh'own in I Fig. 1; r k

Fig. 4 is an enlarged.fragmentary-view-=ofthe key plate in flexed.position.and illustrating'how the key-retaining elementxmay be inserted 'or removed;

Fig. '5 is-a front view oftthe fiexedke-y plate shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of:akey:plateaccorcling to a modified form of my invention;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view f aJpQrtionrOf sai'd modified iorznor key plate 'as'it appearsiunder' flection; and a Fig. 8 is a top View thereof. Referring now to the drawing, and moreparticularly to Figs. 1' through 5, the key' holder lll comprises a casing of suitable construction-and may consist, for example, of 'a--p-air o'f leather "plate wi1l= cause a considerable divergence of, the

slot walls 2|.

Theikey-retaining elements 22 adapted to be sup-portedmy the .key plate l1 may-be of any desirable construction wherein the portion whereby same'li attached to the .plate is larger than its .shank.rportion. Said elernent 22 may'comprise, .for'IeXamplea-loop23 of tempered steel wire hava. .pair .of -integral upwardly extending, convergent arms. andifi. One-0f said-arms-zzfi has'integra'lly joined thereto, at its .upperend, a .shankZfi .whichis so dimensioned that it-isfreely slid-able between the slot ,.walls' Z-l whenithe key ,p-l atej'f'ldsunflexedl Attached to the top oflthe shank26 is an en- "body portionla or the key plate is'flat, the head "Z'Fistooilarge to'bep'assed between the walls of fi-the';'slotdzfi. Said head'Z'l, int'his' form dim-yin- 5 warden, hasthe-shaipe'of a balljt (-Figsx l andB) having en --annula'r 'semicyl}indrical head' 29 formedtherearound. Preferably, said head lies in the same plane as the plane-6f thearm s id and 2 5, so that when l the key-retaining elements 2 2 are disposed in their normal flat position in the :key sholider il G, .as shown in 1, 'the bead 'ifi will -be transverse to the-s1ot=2'l3.

when it is desired to; mount" the key retaining elements:22in-the key plate 'l1,- the--b ody portion 4:8 us first :manually flexed outwardly, {as shown larged head'Z'l which is of such size that when the in Fig. 4. The element 22 which is to be inserted is disposed, as shown in the left hand side of Fig. 4, so that the bead 29 is substantially parallel to the expanded slot 20. The ball 28 is next slipped between the slot walls 2| until a larger portion of the ball lies within the bore of the tubular bead I9. The plate [8 may then be released, whereupon the element 22 is securely held by the key plate [1. It will be noted'that in this captive position said element is free to swivel about its own axis and to rotate about the key plate I 7.

To remove any selected key-retaining element it is first revolved 90 (left hand element in Fig. 4) from its normal fiat position (right hand element in Fig. 4) and then lifted slightly, so that its major horizontal axis will be substantially coincident with the mid-portion of the slot 20, where the walls 2| are most Widely di-" As the weight of the element 22 is vergent. sufiicient to maintain the head 2'! adjacent the lower portion of the slot 20, and as the position of the left hand key-retaining element in Fig. 4 is unnatural, it will be apparent that even if the key plate I! is by chance flexed, there will not be suflicient clearance at the bottom of the slot to permit liberation of, the head 21' of a normally disposed key-retaining element.

In the modified form of my invention, shown in Figs. 6 through 8, additional means is provided to prevent accidental detachment of the key-retaining element 22. Such means comprises the provision of a pair of oppositely disposed notches 30 in the central forward portion of the slot wall 2|. Said notches 30 are so formed that when the plate I8 is flexed they will be substantially of the same configuration as the portion of the head 21 which is designed to pass therebetween. Thus, in Figs. 6 through 8, the notches are illustrated as having an arcuate configuration to conform to the contour of the ball 28 employed in this form of my invention. Due to the additional safety device thus provided, I may dispense with the annular semicylindrical bead 29, shown in the first form of my invention.

The assembly of the key-retaining elements 22 on the plate I! in this latter form of my invention is similar to that described in conjunc tion with Figs. 1 through 4. However, it is necessary when employing the notches 30 to accurately register the balls 28 therewith priorto insertion or assembly of said elements, although the plane of the arms 24 and 25 need not be disposed parallel to the slot 20.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As the various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accomcess, a key-retaining element having a shank.

portion smaller than the space between said said members will become larger than said head,

whereby said head may then be freely removed from or inserted between said members.

2. A key holder comprising a key plate having a flexible, resilient body portion, a pair of relatively spaced members projecting from and firmly annexed to a marginal edge of said body portion','one of said members being provided with a1'ecess,-a key-retaining element having a shank portion smaller than the space between said members, and a head which is larger than the space between said members and so constructed as to beadapted for reception in said recess, said members being so relativelyspaced and said body portion being so constructed that when said body" portion is flexed the space between said members will become larger than said head, whereby said head may then be freely removed from or inserted between said members.

3.-A key holder comprising a key plate having a flexible, resilient body portion, a pair of relatively' spaced members projecting from and firmly annexed to a marginal edge of said body portion, one of said members being provided with a recess, the oppositely disposed walls of said members beingdisposed in parallel planes, a keyretaining element having a shank portion smaller than the space between said members, and a head which is larger than the space between said members and smaller than said recess, said members being so relatively spaced and said body portion being so constructed that when said body portion is flexed the space between said members Will become larger than said head, whereby said head may then be freelyremoved from or, inserted between said members.

4. A key holder comprising a key plate having a flexible, resilient body portion, a pair of relatively spaced members projecting from and firmvment having a shank portion smaller than the space .between said members, and a round head which is larger than the space between said members and smaller than said recess, said members being so relatively spaced and said body portion being so constructed that when said body portion is flexed the space between said members will become larger than said head, whereby said head may then be freely removed from or inserted between said members.

5. A key holder comprising a key plate having a flexible, resilient body portion, a pair of relatively spaced rigid members firmly annexed thereto, one of said members being provided with a recess, a key-retaining element having a shank portion smaller than the space between said members, and a head which is larger than the space between said membersand so constructed as tobe adapted for reception in said recess, said members being so relatively spaced and said body portion being so constructed that when said body portion is flexed the space between said members will become larger than said head, whereby said head may then be freely removed from or inserted between said members.

, 6. A key holder comprising a key plate having a flexible, resilient body portion having a pair ing a shank portion smaller than the space between said members, and a head which is larger than the space between said members .and smaller than the bore of said tubular members, whereby said head maybe inserted or removed from between said tubular members by flection of said body portion.

7. A key holder comprising a key plate having a flexible, resilient body portion having a pair of tubular, relatively spaced, rigid members integral therewith, a key-retaining element having a shank portion smaller than the space between said annular members, and ,a round head including an integral bead, said head being larger than the space between said members and smaller than the bore of said tubular members whereby said head may be inserted or removed from between said tubular members by flection of said body portion.

8. A key holder comprising a key plate having a flexible, resilient body portion having a pair of tubular, relatively spaced members integral therewith, a key-retaining element having a shank portion smaller than the space between said annularmembers, and a round head which is larger than the space between said members and smaller than the bore of said tubular mem- .bers whereby said head may be inserted or removed from between said tubular .members by flection of said body portion, the longitudinal axes of said tubular members being disposed transversely to the axis about which said plate is flexed.

9. 'A key holder comprising a key plate having a plurality of rigid tubular members integrally said head may be inserted or removed from between said members by flection of said body portion. 1

10. A key holder comprising a key plate having a plurality of rigid, tubular members integrally formed at a marginal edge thereof, the end walls of said members having a notched central forward portion, a key-retaining element having a shank portion smaller than the space between said members, and a round head which is larger than the space between said members and smaller than the bore of said members, whereby said head may be inserted or removed from between said members by flection of said body portion.

11. A key holder comprising a key plate having a plurality of rigid tubular members integrally formed at a marginal edge thereof, the end walls of said members having an arcuately notched central forward portion, a key-retaining element having a shank portion smaller than the space between said members, and a round head which is larger than the space between said'members and smaller than the bore of said members, whereby said head may be inserted or removed from between said members by flection of said body portion.

12. A key plate comprising a flexible, resilient body portion having a plurality of rigid, spaced, tubular members integral with said body portion and projecting from a marginal edge thereof.

13. A key holder comprising a key plate having a flexible, resilient body portion, a pair of relatively spacedmem'bers firmly annexed thereto, one of said members being provided with a recess, a key-retaining element having a shank portion smaller than the space between said members, and a head which is larger than the space between said members and so constructed as to be adapted for reception in said recess, whereby said head may be inserted or removed from between said members by flection of said body portion, and means to reinforce said body portion against flection except between said members.

14. A key holder comprising a key plate hav-.

ing a flexible, resilient body portion, apair of relatively spaced members flrmly annexed thereto, one of said members being providedwith a recess, a key retaining element having a shank portion smaller than the space between said members, and a head which is larger than the space between said members and so constructed as to be adapted for reception in said recess, the resistance to bending of said plate along a line between said body portion and said members being'substantially lower between said members than at said members, whereby, when a bending stress is applied to said bodyportion along said line, the resultant flection of said body portion along, said line willbe localized between said members.

15. A key plate comprising a flexible resilient body portion, retaining means to detachably hold a key retaining element, said means including two members movable towards and away from each other, said key retaining element being irremovably held by said retaining means when said members are in proximate relationship and being freely detachable from said retaining means when said members are in remote relationship, means to support said retaining means on said body portion so that upon flection '01 said body portion to a predetermined degree in the region where said means is supported said members will move from proximate to remote BENJAMIN S. BERGER. 

